ROME — Italy's president on Monday asked the brash young leader of the Democratic Party, Matteo Renzi, to try to form a new government after Renzi managed to oust the previous premier in a power grab.

Renzi, the 39-year-old mayor of Florence, met for more than an hour with President Giorgio Napolitano. Afterward he said he would go to work immediately on forging a new coalition, with talks with potential partners formally beginning on Tuesday.

Renzi said he would need a "few days" before seeing whether he can succeed.